Canon SX10 IS vs Pentax K-3 II

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Canon SX10 IS vs Pentax K-3 II

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
10.0 megapixels
28.00mm - 560.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon SX10 IS Review.
See real-world photos taken with the SX10 IS.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 II.
Compare Pentax K-3 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon SX20 IS
Compare SX10 IS vs SX20 IS

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III

Compare CANON SX20 IS vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Canon SX10 IS advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher max flash sync
1/500 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon SX10 IS

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 1.69 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
RAW file ability
Yes vs No
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

720 vs 600 shots
Capture more photos
Manual focus
Yes vs No
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
10 years vs 16 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More dots on screen
1037k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.60 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.4 vs 10.0 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
30 vs 15 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 1.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/3200 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 3200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read SX10 IS User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Read our Canon SX10 IS Review

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony DSC-HX1

Canon SX10 IS

Sony DSC-HX1

$400
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

$499
1/2.4 inch

Manual focus
HDMI out

Compare Canon SX10 IS vs Sony DSC-HX1

Pentax K-3 II

Sony DSC-HX1

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$499
1/2.4 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony DSC-HX1

Compared to Canon SX1 IS

Canon SX10 IS

Canon SX1 IS

$400
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

$600
1/2.3 inch

RAW file ability
HDMI out

Compare Canon SX10 IS vs Canon SX1 IS

Pentax K-3 II

Canon SX1 IS

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$600
1/2.3 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon SX1 IS

Compared to Canon SX20 IS

Canon SX10 IS

Canon SX20 IS

$400
1/2.3 inch

Faster JPEG shooting

$400
1/2.3 inch

HDMI out
More pixels

Compare Canon SX10 IS vs Canon SX20 IS

Pentax K-3 II

Canon SX20 IS

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$400
1/2.3 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon SX20 IS

Compared to Canon T6i

Canon SX10 IS

Canon T6i

$400
1/2.3 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Longer stills battery life

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Canon SX10 IS vs Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Pentax KP

Canon SX10 IS

Pentax KP

$400
1/2.3 inch

Longer stills battery life
Higher max flash sync

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon SX10 IS vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

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